A senior management employee is either a fiscal advisor to the Superintendent or an employee in the highest position not requiring certification in a principal district program area, with districtwide responsibility for formulating policy or administering the program. (Education Code 45108.5)

Employees holding positions designated as classified senior management and supervisory positions are entitled to all of the rights, benefits, and burdens of other classified employees, except that each senior management and supervisory employees shall not obtain permanent status in a senior management position. (Education Code 45100.5, 45256.5)

If assigned to a position within a bargaining unit, classified management and supervisory employees shall be reclassified at the discretion of the Governing Board subject to provisions of the applicable collective bargaining agreement or, for districts incorporating the merit system, the rules of the personnel commission.

Positions in the senior management of the classified service shall be filled from an unranked list of eligible persons who have demonstrated managerial ability and who have been found qualified for the positions as specified by the Superintendent and determined by the personnel commission. (Education Code 45256.5)